A Week In Latin America On A $0 Salary

Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.

Today: a Peace Corps volunteer who makes $0 per year and who spends some of her money this week on a national park entrance fee.

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Occupation: Peace Corps volunteer
Industry: Academia
Age: 31
Location: Latin America
Salary: $0
Assets: Roth IRA: $30,073; 401(k): $10,000; investment account: $53,327; HYSA: $2,486; checking account: $1,255; car: $7,500.
Debt: $11,370 in student loans.
Paycheck amount (monthly): Living stipend of $650 a month.
Pronouns: She/her

Housing costs: $483 rent — this covers all utilities and wi-fi.
Loan payments: $0 (student loan payments paused during service).
Gym pass: $20
Health/dental insurance: Covered by Peace Corps.
Cell phone: $56
Donations: $75 (Grassroots International, Patreon, GoFundMe). This varies and has been lower since not having an income, but this entry is making me realize I need to be a little more intentional with my budget so that I can put more of my money into causes I care about.
Subscriptions: Netflix: $15.49; HBO: $10.81; Spotify: $18.30.

Kiwico Subscription: $240 (this is a monthly STEAM kit for my niece and nephew).
Squarespace: $276 (I used to have a small business, which is inactive now, but I poured my heart and soul into this website and can’t seem to part with it).
Costco: $65 
Duolingo Super Family Plan: $120

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes. My sister and I grew up in a low-income household with a single mom who attended college through most of my childhood, earning her master’s degree and dedicating her time to becoming successful in her career. It was never really discussed but we always knew it was expected. I worked full-time all through college to pay for tuition and my living expenses, and received a $7,000 scholarship. I was living with my now-ex and we split all of our costs 50/50. In my last year of college, he developed a gambling addiction and ended up stealing all my savings, pawning my belongings and maxing out my credit cards against my knowledge. Out of necessity, I ended up taking out $24,000 in student loans.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
While we never had discussions about budgeting, if I wanted something, I always had to work for it. I grew up with a strong aversion to accepting help and held a deep belief that I have to do everything alone, which I am trying to unlearn as I am a strong believer in the power of community and mutual aid. By the time I was 14, my mom had earned a master’s and bought a house. While this hurt certain aspects of our relationship, I always felt very proud of how hard she worked to bring our family out of poverty.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
I began babysitting for $2 an hour at 12 years old. I initially started babysitting so I could buy birthday presents for my friends after an incident where I showed up to a birthday party empty-handed. I also used that money to buy pizza, soda and snacks to host night games in my neighborhood — who was I?! I’d keep a secret stash of money to sneak an occasional bag of Cheetos or Snickers bar from the gas station down the street.

Did you worry about money growing up?
Yeah, I was aware that we were poor. My mom was pretty open about her financial stressors and it was obvious that we were in a much different financial position than everyone around us. We never had the money to do any extracurricular activities or buy new things — we would do our grocery shopping at the food pantry and discount stores, and would only ever buy necessities secondhand. My dad was pretty absent through my childhood but I know that he is a big spender and ended up having to file for bankruptcy shortly after receiving a large inheritance. I grew up knowing if I wanted to be okay, I had to take care of myself.

Do you worry about money now?
Sometimes. I view money as a means to survive and have no desire to have my life revolve around it. I want to exist comfortably, do things I enjoy and help others do the same. I have always been good at saving and taking up side hustles to cover costs so I know that as long as I remain able to work, I will be okay. It’s been about five years since my ex financially ruined me — luckily he never had access to my Roth IRA or investment account. That experience really did a number on me financially and emotionally, so I’ve been trying to pull myself back up from that for what feels like forever. I do have feelings of being financially “behind” creep up on me from time to time. I am also one month into volunteering with the Peace Corps and the living expenses are higher than I had thought. I was hoping to not have to pull from my savings for my time in service but I don’t think it’s going to work out that way.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
A month after I graduated high school, I fundraised and received a scholarship to go on a gap year abroad (I was 17 at the time). When I returned home at 18 years old, I lived at home for a few months before my mom told me I would have to begin paying rent. So technically, because of those few months where she covered my rent and food, I was 18 when I became completely financially independent. During in-between phases of my life, my sister and her family have let me live with them for a month or so at a time. I know that if I was ever in a bind, my sister would help me out, and vice versa. I have other family and friends (plus current and ex bfs) who would help out if I asked, but I can’t imagine a scenario where I would ask for financial help unless I had no other option.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
No.

6 a.m. — My alarm is set on Spotify shuffle and this morning is Sudan Archives’ “Confessions” so I’m starting my day grooooving. I pee, rinse off my face, brush my teeth and make my bed (in that order). I throw on some clothes, slap on some sunscreen, grab a granola bar and rush to catch the bus ($1.27). I really need to give myself a better morning routine. It’s about a one-hour commute by way of two buses to get to my site. $1.27

7 a.m. — I scored a seat this morning! Usually I don’t have to be at work until 9 a.m. but on Fridays I start at 7:30 a.m. — a big perk of the early commute is beating the crowd. I’m feeling good and listen to the Handsome podcast on my commute. I hit a 167-day streak on Duolingo; I’m unstoppable! I send a good morning text to L., my long-distance boyfriend of six (almost seven!) months. We’ll usually do a daily phone call but he’s in Italy for work right now, and the time difference makes it even harder to find time to connect. I arrive at the university I’m working at and grab a very mid instant coffee — but for 76 cents, I’ll take it. I get to my desk, eat a protein bar and drink my coffee before it gets cold. $0.76

12 p.m. — My bff on campus, M. (the lady who runs the cafeteria), comes to chat with me — she’s been gone all week and I have MISSED her! I’m vegetarian, which has proved to be a bit of a challenge at my site, but she is an angel descended straight from Veggie Heaven and makes me lunch every day for $3. I am just over one month into my Peace Corps service and GODDAMN, they keep me busy. I have 10 projects I am currently managing and I need to figure out how to have a conversation with my supervisor on how we need to turn it down a notch or two if we want to finish anything to completion. $3

5 p.m. — Oof, today was busy. Students come back to school on Monday so everyone is stressing about getting everything ready. As much as I want to go lay down and stare into the void after eight hours of draining my brain and wrecking my eyesight in front of a screen, I’m a busy lady! I befriended P., a bakery shop owner, last week and she has invited me to come over for coffee. She is the sweetest and I’ve been feeling a bit isolated so I’m grateful for the connection. I get some good people-watching in on my commute ($1.27) to meet with my baker friend. $1.27

7 p.m. — I swing by a street vendor on my way to P.’s place to pick up something sweet and something savory; I end up choosing a local pastry filled with cheese and mushrooms, and another with Nutella and strawberries ($7.10). At P.’s I’m greeted by her very friendly puppy and we end up chatting over coffee for six hours. I walk home tired but happy. $7.10

7 a.m. — I’ve been having a hard time falling asleep and desperately want to sleep in until 8 a.m. but my body doesn’t like to cooperate. I am meeting up with some fellow Peace Corps volunteers for breakfast at 10 a.m. I wake up to some texts from financial-ruin ex who is turning his life around and wants me back. After 10 years together, it’s hard to cut ties and we’ve tried to continue a friendship but he has a hard time respecting my boundaries and accepting that I am in a relationship, so we decided that a friendship isn’t working and wished each other all the best. Now he’s talking about wanting to pay me back. It immediately seems like there would be strings attached and I shut it down. Agh. Shaking that off, I tidy up a bit while thinking about how I could probably benefit from some therapy. The brunch is near the shoe repair place where I dropped off a pair of boots last week so I’m going to leave a bit early to swing by there before brunch. $8.65

10 a.m. — I know three of the volunteers but I’m very happy to meet another! She’s stationed in a town a few hours away and came in for the weekend. I order a coffee, standard breakfast and a side of fruit ($6.08). We chat about everything under the sun, walk around the center and then stop in at a coffee shop where I order an Americano and a slice of cake ($5.03). $11.11

4 p.m. — I have a couple of errands I could run but I’m still feeling a little emotionally frazzled and decide I need a meditative walk — my to-do list will be there when I’m in a better headspace. I am greeted by a very friendly street vendor who enthusiastically tells me that I should marry her son. Instead, I settle on buying a bucket of mixed nuts from her ($5.07) for the week. $5.07

6 p.m. — I feel like talking with L. right now but it’s 2 a.m. in Italy and I don’t want to wake him up. He’s only there for two more days and then it’s back to similar-time-zone long distance, a slightly less shitty version. On my way home, I stop by a sushi place and pick up an avocado roll and side of edamame ($10). I am hyperaware that I went over budget on food today but c’est la vie. I shamelessly eat the sushi on my bed while I watch Abbott Elementary and look up some hikes I want to do tomorrow. $10

8 a.m. — I lay in bed cursing the ambitious person I was yesterday. Alas, when in Rome. I do my sad lil’ morning routine, have some yogurt, pack a day bag with a rain jacket, water, granola bars and sunscreen, and head off to catch the local transportation, which is a transit van full of benches, usually fitting up to 20 people ($0.91), to get to my hiking destination. $0.91

10 a.m. — It’s about an hour-long drive so I turn on some chill tunes and reflect. After the divorce, I packed up my car and moved across the country by myself to start a new life. I nearly worked myself to death. I lived incredibly frugally and spent three years paying off my ex’s debts and building my savings back. I burnt out pretty quick, quit, and used some of those savings to travel around Central America for a couple of months. When this Peace Corps volunteer position presented itself, I jumped all in. I find myself falling back into a mindset that will lead me right back to burnout. I often measure my value in how “useful” I am to others and I need to reframe as it’s not sustainable. All of these feelings are making me hungry. Perfect timing! I’ve arrived. I find a cute cafe and order a veggie omelet, latte and glass of orange juice ($9.59). While I eat, I figure out which hike I want to tackle and how to get there. $9.59

11 a.m. — I decide on a hike — it’s about three hours each way so I get started. It’s slightly overcast and 70 degrees, perfect hiking weather. About an hour in, I get to the national park entrance. The man at the booth kindly explains to me which trail to take and I try to follow along — so many turns! I pay the entry fee and head on my way. $2.25

4 p.m. — I’ve made it to the vista! I find a ledge to sit on, soak in the views and devour a granola bar. The clouds are getting darker so I decide to head back down an alternate trail that should be a little less muddy. It pours on me for about two hours but I brought a rain jacket. As I get back into town, I spot a street vendor selling candied walnuts and I buy what must be a 3lb brick of them ($3.25) to bring for my coworkers tomorrow. I wander into a warehouse that’s been converted into rows of food vendors. I pull up a stool next to a very friendly man, we chat about his cabin rental business and I order a beer and a dish I’ve never tried ($7.50). I eat about a third and take the rest to go. $10.75

7 p.m. — I catch a van home ($0.91) and I am beat. I shower and then see that my mom wants to do a video call with my sister, her kids and me. It’ll be our first since I’ve arrived. The kids are getting into a Mario Kart movie theme night, mustaches and all — adorable. We only chat for about 30 minutes but it’s good to see everyone. I take fun aunt duty very seriously and already have a list of places I am going to take them when they come visit me in the new year. I do some Duolingo, think about how much I miss my nightly talks with long-distance bf, make my way through my New York Times rotation (got the mini crossword in 30 seconds, a personal record), mindlessly scroll through TikTok and fall asleep by 10 p.m. $0.91

7 a.m. — The students at my university have been on a break but are back today. I was told last week that I am going to be part of the welcome ceremony in front of nearly 2,000 people, which is my hell, so I’m going to start the day with an actual breakfast so I don’t pass out (only half joking). I get up a little early to sit at a cafe down the street and have a coffee and standard breakfast. Not so lucky to get a seat on the bus this morning so I spend the next hour trying to remember not to lock my knees and listening to How To Be A Better Human. This episode is called “How to stay grounded in an increasingly artificial world.” Good podcast, highly recommend. $4.74

1 p.m. — The ceremony wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated, they just had me stand up, smile and wave — no speech, thank god. We get back to the office where I bust out aforementioned candied walnuts that we all munch on before diving back into work. Today M. makes me a black bean dish with cheese and avocado. I take a 15-minute break to eat lunch at my desk and get back to work, putting together an inclusion workshop for teachers. $3

5 p.m. — I wrap up my work and begin my bus journey home ($1.25). I have been apartment hunting and have an appointment at 6:30 p.m. to go look at a place that’s close to where I am staying now and under budget, woo! Unfortunately, after taking a look I don’t think it will meet the safety requirements for Peace Corps. I have another place lined up to look at this weekend and I am certain that one will be approved. $1.25

8 p.m. — On my walk home from the apartment showing, I pick up a pastry and take a mental note of a cute little plant shop I want to stop in once I move into a new place. Where I’m staying now is a temporary host-stay and I haven’t been able to cook, which I’ve missed. I fantasize about watering plants and cooking soup in my underwear. For dinner I have some cheese and crackers, an apple and my pastry. I take a steaming hot shower and do my little digital routine of Duolingo, NYT games, and I almost open TikTok but opt for reading The Plot instead. L. and I are doing a sort of book club together but I am falling behind and need to catch up. $0.50

7 a.m. — I wake up to some en-route Marco Polo videos from L. He is flying home today! He arrived at his gate as I woke up so we have a quick sappy exchange before he takes off. After that: morning routine, yogurt, another quick chat with roommate and I grab a coffee ($2.25) on my way to catch the bus to work ($1.25). $3.50

12 p.m. — I don’t have any meetings until later in the afternoon and I’m glad to have a slower morning at my desk. I get a cute voice message from my niece and nephew as they’re on their way to school and make a mental note to put together a little care package for them and find a post office. P. shoots me a message inviting me to join her and her friends who are going out for tamales tomorrow evening. I accept. Lunch today is a bed of lettuce topped with perfectly cubed potatoes, cheese and tomatoes, drenched in what I think is heavy cream? 3/10 but major props for creativity. $3

5 p.m. — It’s pouring rain and my coworker offers me a ride home. I try to chip in for gas but he declines. I get home, throw on a cozy sweater and wait for the rain to slow down before taking a 20-minute walk to grab a quick dinner. On my walk home I get a text from my best friend of 16 years. We’ve been playing phone tag lately but can’t find a good time to chat yet; she’s going through it and I add a care package for her to my list. I’m feeling a little wired and try to wind down by digging into my book but it’s a thriller and not adding the peace I need right now so I go for a run, come back, shower, and end up turning off my brain and playing Tetris while listening to lofi tunes for a solid hour. Nighttime routine, then asleep by 11:30 p.m. $3.50

8 a.m. — Today is a work-from-home day, my favorite. I take my sweet-ass time waking up and decide on a coffee shop that I want to park myself at for a few hours of work. I have to stop by a medical center to get some blood work done at some point today so I double-check their hours to make sure I plan accordingly. I land on a place a 30-minute walk away, do my morning routine and head out. I order an Americano and breakfast sandwich, get a solid five hours of work in and call it a day. I might check in later but I remind myself that this is a volunteer position and I have other things I need to do today. I drink a ridiculous amount of water and pull up directions to the lab to have the blood sucked outta me. $7.25

3 p.m. — The medical center is far so I take a taxi ($3.50). I am in and out of the lab in 15 minutes, pay $20 for the full service and am told I will receive my results within a few hours. UNREAL. I take a taxi back to my neighborhood ($3) and stop by a street vendor to buy a lemonade ($1.25) to bring with me for a walk. $27.75

4 p.m. — L. is back stateside and I call him on my walk; he’s a little groggy and jet lagged but we have a lot of catching up to do. I am meeting up with P. at 6 p.m. for tamales but we agree to talk more tonight. My blood results are back (you hear that, US?) and there are a couple of concerning levels. I forward the results to my nurse to get her feedback before spiraling into a lethal self-diagnosis. I meet up with P. and we take her dogs for a walk to her tamale lady. I order two tamales and we sit at a bench to eat while we chat about politics and I entertain her puppy with my shoelace strings. $4

9 p.m. — I grab a drink, head home and complete my nighttime routine before a video call with L. We do our NYT games together, talk about some future trip plans, get into some heavy conversation and say goodnight around 1:30 a.m., oops. $4.50

7 a.m. — I wake up to a text from my coworker offering me a ride to work. I gladly accept and now have an extra hour of time to kill this morning. I’m up, face rinsed, sunscreen applied, teeth brushed and out the door to have a coffee before having to deal with today. I am on day one of my period and the first two days take me OUT. I realize I don’t have any painkillers and stop by a pharmacy but it’s closed, so I brace myself for a day of headache-inducing cramps (thanks, PCOS). I’m back home and have yogurt, granola and a protein shake before getting picked up for work. $3.50

1 p.m. — I sit at my desk and stare at the same three paragraphs for about 10 minutes before I can focus enough to understand what I’m reading. I want to be buried under 500 blankets in bed with a heating pad but I’m told I’ll have a meeting with a group of students my supervisor wants me to train today, woo. Work is dragging and my uterus is about to erupt but M. makes tacos for lunch so all is right in the world. The students I’m working with are so engaged, which makes me feel guilty that I’m not able to give 100% today. $3

5 p.m. — By some miracle I make it through the day. I got about one third of what I wanted done, but there’s always tomorrow. It’s raining and I forgot my rain jacket so I walk to the bus station and make my way home looking like a wet rat on her period. Home sweet home! I change into my most comfortable clothes and crawl into bed. It’s only once I am in bed that I remember I was going to stop by the pharmacy on my way home, agh. I’ll see if I am up for going out again later — I’m too comfortable to think about it now. I turn on Abbott Elementary and snack on some nuts. $1.25

7 p.m. — The rain is more of a mist now and I’m getting hungry so I take a 20-minute walk to visit my favorite street vendor for a quick dinner ($3) and listen to my “songs to listen to when the world feels heavy” playlist. This time, I remember to stop by the pharmacy and buy some ibuprofen and a water bottle ($4.09) and I pop those bad boys in immediately so they can start jousting with my cramps (that’s how medicine works, right?). I end the day with a dinner-date video call with L. and we try to keep it light-hearted and talk about the things we are looking forward to. I eat a kiwi and wish it was Oreo cheesecake. $7.09